As a Dream Took Flight
by Puppet String
Summary: An earth pony stallion named White Streak desires nothing more than a pair of wings. However, when his disabled friend finds a way to make his dream a reality, he realizes that the price was not worth it. Rated for sad themes and possibly language.
1. A Wish

White Streak rolled out of his bed, grinning as he slammed his hoof down on his alarm clock. '_Time to train!_' He thought gleefully. It was five thirty in the morning on a Saturday. He always got up early, regardless of the day, for the sole purpose of training. He grabbed a bottle of water and dashed out the door, his white coat standing out in the darkness while his black and gray mane remained hidden in the shadows.

Outside, he could feel the cool, autumn morning pierce his thin fur, chilling him. He shook it off. 'I'll be warm soon,' He told himself, '_If I just keep running_.'

He loved running. It was his life. He had loved it since he was a tiny colt, hurrying around on awkward, uncertain legs. The earth pony's short mane shot straight out behind him, and his water bottle jolted around in his saddle bag. His hooves strummed the crisp soil, breaking through the thin layer of frost.

'_I'll keep it short this morning_,' he told himself, '_I've still got to make it back to Lilac Breeze's place by seven._'

Lilac Breeze was his best and only friend. She was the only pony in Equestria who White Streak really cared about. They'd met on their first day of school. She'd been sitting alone on the corner of the playground before school, staring out across the grass. White Streak had decided to take a break from his run and get some water at the fountain when he noticed her. "Hey!" He'd greeted, trotting up. "You look lonely. Wanna come run with me?" He hoped she'd say yes. Perhaps they could even play tag, and then others could join in as they arrived!

Lilac Breeze had shaken her head. "Sorry," She told him quietly, "I can't." She gazed out over the field again. White Streak, being the stupid young colt he was, had challenged her. "Why not? Are you too busy watching grass grow alone to hang out with anyone?" Lilac Breeze had shied away, shrinking back as far as her tiny frame would allow as he leaned in to glare at her. "It's not that," she'd whimpered, "I mean I really can't. It's impossible for me to come run with you!" At this point, he snorted and kicked at the ground. "Oh, really? How can it be impossible for you to run? You've got four legs, haven't you?!" The next words she uttered would haunt him forever. "Well, yes, but...I can't use them. Ever." Her expression twisted with sorrow and longing. "My legs don't work, and they never will."

Lilac Breeze had been born with legs that she couldn't move. Fortunately, she was a pegasus, so she could still move about, but she would never experience the joy of running. Still, White Streak had always envied her. Sure, running was great, but only because it was as close as he could get to flying. Lilac Breeze had been born with the most gorgeous wings he'd ever seen. They were long and elegant, with perfect rows of soft, pale-purple feathers running along their length, matching her soft coat. Flying was the best exercise she could get, and she flew nearly everywhere, so she got plenty of it. She was never bitter about her disability- she'd just accepted it as part of her life. There was nothing to be done about it, so there was no reason to worry about it. It wasn't in her nature to brood over things.

White Streak's flanks heaved as he flopped down on top of the hill he'd just made it up. It was a beautiful place, overlooking Ponyville, where he watched the sun rise when he took the trail. The sun climbed above the town, gently casting its light.

"Thank you, Celestia, for this beautiful view, and for the warmth of your sun."

He stood, shaking out his pelt. It was time to go. He took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet, familiar scent of dry grass. He'd have to take Lilac Breeze up here one morning to show her the view.

Soon, he was standing on Lilac Breeze's doorstep, ringing the bell.

"Coming!" Her quiet voice called. "One moment, please!"

She fluttered down the stairs and grabbed the rope she used to open the door in her teeth. She hauled t open and greeted White Streak with a smile. "Good morning!" She chimed, moving aside to let him in, "I'm so glad you could come. I really appreciate your help!"

Lilac Breeze had been working on her weather pattern assignment. It was up to her to figure out what kinds of weather Ponyville needed in order to keep in balance.

"I'm so sorry to burden you like this so often," She apologized as White Streak picked up a pencil and took a look at the chart she'd been given to fill in. "I'd do it myself if I could, but..." She glanced at her legs. Writing had always been difficult for her. It took a lot of effort to prop herself up correctly so that she could write, and when she tried she usually wound up falling over. She really needed to get some sort of assistant to help her- perhaps she'd visit Fluttershy later to see if any of her animals could aide her.

White Streak shrugged. "It's no problem, really. I'm happy to help." He held the chart and grasped the pencil. "So, what's on the agenda for the week?"

"We'll need a light drizzle tomorrow, followed by a cloudy day Monday to allow the water to soak in. Then things can start to clear up on Tuesday, with light clouds and patches of sunlight, followed by a milder weather on Wednesday and Thursday, then a cool down on Friday and Saturday. It's time for cold to start setting in more often. Winter's on its way."

White Streak scribbled down the weather on the chart. "I'll go with you to turn this in." He told her. She nodded gratefully, and led him out the door.

Her beautiful wings didn't make a sound as they cut through the still air. White Streak found himself staring at them as they talked.

"You know, White Streak, your birthday is coming up. Is there anything in particular you might look forward to?" Lilac Breeze's smile betrayed her. She'd tried to make the remark passive, so that she could get an idea what he wanted as a gift, but she was too excited to keep a straight face. She'd already talked to Pinkie Pie about throwing a party.

White Streak grinned. "A new stopwatch would be nice," He told her after a moment. "I accidentally broke mine last week when I dropped it. Or, I should say that the puddle broke it." He chuckled. "The only other thing I could want would be a pair of wings, and we both know that's not gonna happen!" He looked longingly at the sky. "I'd give just about anything to be able to fly." Lilac Breeze looked away guiltily. He remembered too late how upset she got when he said things like that. "Not that I'm jealous or anything!" He added quickly, "I was just thinking. Sorry, Lilac Breeze." He shuffled his hooves awkwardly. '_I really would give just about anything to fly, though,_' He thought. '_Anything but Lilac Breeze, anyway._'


	2. The Means

Lilac Breeze lay in bed, staring at the moon. '_He wants to fly so badly,_' she thought, '_It hurts to see how much he wishes he was a pegasus._' She sighed. '_I wish I could do something to help him._' Her thoughts wandered through books she'd read. She recalled several magical artifacts, trying to think of something that could help her. Then, a story that her mother used to tell her came to mind.

She was just a filly at the time, laying in bed at home with a wing injury. Her Mother was at the end of the bed, humming softly. She stopped abruptly and smiled at her dear foal.

_"Lilac Breeze, it's nearly Hearth's Warming Eve. Is there anything you'd like?"_

_Lilac Breeze nodded. "I want to take a walk with you and Papa!"_

_Her mother looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Lilac, but that's just not possible. But if you'd like, Papa and I could pull you in the wagon and we can go to the park to feed the ducks?"_

_Lilac breeze sighed. "We can do that anyway. The special part would be walking with you. I don't want to make you pull me around everywhere whenever my wings get tired."_

_Her mother changed the subject. "Do you know the story of the Gift Grove?"_

_Lilac shook her head. "No, Mama."_

_"Legend has it that there's a grove of willow trees somewhere in the Everfree Forest. It stands outside a little cave next to a clear pond. If you go there, you'll meet a blind old unicorn who will ask you to help her with something. After you do so, she will say that she'd like to reward you with two bits, but it will appear that she's accidentally giving you ten- two five bit coins. If you help her and don't take the ten, she'll ask you if you'd like to give someone a gift. Anything you ask, you can give to someone else."_

_Lilac Breeze's tiny ears perked up. "Could someone ask her to give me my legs?"_

_Her mother thought for a moment. "I suppose they could. That would be a fantastic gift, wouldn't it?"_

Lilac spread her wings, smiling. She was determined to find the Gift Grove and ask the unicorn that lived there to give White Streak a pair of wings. She took flight, staring down as she left Ponyville and began her search above the forest. She peered down through the dark branches, looking for a brighter green or for the swaying movement of the vine-like tendrils over a moonlit pool.

Her search lasted for hours. All through the night, she flapped her wings and glared down at the trees below. The sun rose high above her, and re knew it had to be approaching noon. She needed a rest desperately. Her flanks were matted with sweat and her breath came in hard gulps. She swooped down toward the first source of water she saw and landed half-way in. She took a long, grateful drink and rested in its cool shallows for a good fifteen minutes before she flew herself out and took a look at her surroundings.

Thin, beautiful branches swayed in the breeze. Soft grass grew beneath a group of willow trees, and nearby was a cave. Lilac Breeze's heartbeat quickened. Had she found the place? She zipped around excitedly, taking in everything about the beautiful solace in the dank, unforgiving depths of the Everfree Forest's woods.

She lay beneath the shortest willow tree and waited to see if anyone would come.

Hours later, she was still laying alone. She had fallen asleep and the day had melted past her. When she awoke, it was dark. Her stomach churned. '_White Streak will be worried._'

She was about to leave when a voice spoke from nearby.

"Hello, little one. You are awake."

Lilac Breeze turned to see a very, very old looking unicorn standing nearby. Her pale gray eyes stared past her, unable to see anything.

"H-Hello," She stammered, looking at the newcomer in awe.

"Please, come in. You must be tired."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

Lilac fluttered inside, thanking her host when she was offered a chair. They spoke quietly for a few minutes before the unicorn asked her for assistance cooking dinner.

"It's difficult to cook what you can't see," She explained, "So most nights, I eat something rather poorly made. Would you be a dear and help me cook tonight?"

"Oh, yes!" She slew up from her chair, then her heart sank. "Though, I may not be very quick with this. My legs don't work, so I have to do everythign without my hooves."

The unicorn flicked her old, skinny ear. "That's fine, dear. I understand how difficult living without full use of your body can be. Take your time."

Lilac Breeze made an herb and vegetable stew from what she found around the kitchen. It was an agonizingly slow process, but in the end, the stew was delicious.

"Thank you, little one," The silver old mare finished the last sip. "I'd really like to reward you. I am very poor, but I can spare two bits to thank you properly."

Lilac Breeze saw the old unicorn grab a tattered coin purse off the table and take two five-bit pieces out, sliding them across the table. "There you are. Two bits."

Lilac pushed the money back across the table. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. You gave me ten."

The old unicorn smiled. "You are a lovely pony, darling. Instead of the bits, would you like me to reward you with magic? I can give a gift to someone you love instead."

Lilac's heart swelled. Now was her chance! "Yes, please! I'd really, really love for you to give my best friend, White Streak, a pair of wings! He's always wanted to be able to fly."

The unicorn's smile melted away. "Wings? Oh, my...That's a tricky one. I'm afraid I can't just make wings appear." She looked genuinely upset. "I'm afraid I can't help him."

Lilac's stomach churned. She'd traveled all this way for nothing! Then, a though hit her.

"Well, can you give him my wings?"

The mare looked startled. "W-well, I suppose you can. I can give him your wings. That's a much less complicated spell. But you should understand that once you give someone a gift with my magic, they cannot use magic to give you a gift ever again."

Lilac smiled. "That's fine! Please give my wings to White Streak."

The old mare sighed. "I hope you know what a big sacrifice you're making."

White light surrounded Lilac Breeze, so blindingly bright that closing them only eased the discomfort a little. Her wings tingled. Then, suddenly, agony wracked her body. Every hair on her pelt seemed to be stabbing her. The pain only lasted a moment, but it left her laying on the ground in shock.

The unicorn shook her head. "Now, it is time fro you to go home. You poor, poor child."

The magic surrounded Lilac again, and she braced for the pain, but it never came. She found herself laying in bed, and wondered if it had been a dream. Then, when she tried to get up, she realized that it had been real. Her wings were gone.

She looked out at the moon, tears welling up in her eyes.

'_I did it. I gave him his dream._'


	3. Repercussions

White Streak's alarm went off and he slammed his hoof down with a yawn. He hadn't slept well. The previous day, he'd headed over to visit Lilac Breeze, but she wasn't home. He'd tried back several times, but she had never answered her door. Shaking out his pelt, he rolled out of bed and grabbed his water bottle.

Something was making his back itch. He went to scratch it on the door frame, alarmed by the sudden pain he got as a result. It felt as though he had a new limb! He ran to the bathroom and looked at his back in the mirror. Two beautiful white wings protruded from his back. His heart rate quickened. Could this be real? He had to know. He threw cold water on his face, expecting the shock to wake him up, but as the piercing cold bit through his fur, he realized that he had to be awake.

He had wings. He could fly. He had to show Lilac Breeze!

White Streak jet out the door abandoning his water bottle on the sink. He took several running steps before he spread his new appendages and began flapping awkwardly. '_This might take some getting used to,_' he decided as he managed to lift himself off the ground, '_But that's fine! I've got my dream come true!_' His flight started out extremely klutzy, and he was glad that nopony was around to see it. Thankfully, he got the hang of it rather quickly. He climbed higher and higher into the sky over Ponyville, enjoying the warmth of the rising sun on his back as he headed for Lilac's house.

"Lilac!" He called from the front porch, "Lilac, open up! You've gotta see this!"

A muffled noise replied from the other side of the door.

"What?" He put an ear to the wooden door, wondering if his friend was okay.

The noise got a little louder, but he still couldn't hear what she was saying.

"Hold on- I'm coming in!" He reared up and crashed his hooves down on the wood several times. Finally, he was able to shove the heavy door open and run inside.

Just below the staircase, laying on the floor in a heap, was Lilac Breeze.

"Help..." She whimpered, tears in her eyes.

White Streak rushed to her side, checking her over. She had several cuts and bumps all over her body.

"What happened to you?" He demanded in horror.

"I fell down the stairs," She whimpered, "And I couldn't get back up."

He rolled her over. "Did you break your wi-" He stopped mid sentence when he caught sight of her back. Her wings were gone. It didn't look like they' been cut off-her back just looked like an Earth Pony or Unicorn's back at the shoulder. White Streak backed away. He was beginning to piece two and two together.

He woke up with wings. She lay before him without.

"Lilac Breeze, you didn't..." His voice trailed off. She gave him a small smile, not meeting his eyes. "I gave you my wings."

White Streak's blood ran cold. "How could you?" Tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "Do you realize what you've done to yourself?"

Lilac Breeze did her best to nod. "Yes. But in making myself immobile, I've given you your dream, White Streak! You can fly now! It's everything you ever wanted!" He shook his head. "No-No, it isn't. I'd never want to see you like this!" He hauled her onto his back and carried her to a chair. After sliding her off and positioning her so that she could be more comfortable, he set to thinking.

"We have to take you to a doctor," He declared, "So that they can figure out what to do. Maybe there's a spell to return your wings."

Lilac Breeze shook her head. "Gifts don't work like that, White Streak. You really can't really return them, and I'm not supposed to expect anything in return. Thank you, but I'll be alright without."

She couldn't hide the pain in her voice or in her eyes. White Streak thought desperately. Surely someone in Equestria could do something? He'd take her to the hospital first, and if they couldn't do anything there, he'd take her to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Surely something in her library contained a helpful spell? If not, perhaps Princess Celestia could help?

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. First things first. He hauled Lilac Breeze onto his back once more and carried her carefully to the hospital. In the emergency room, Lilac Breeze explained what she'd done to have the wings transferred and the limitations the magic inflicted. Nurse Redheart said there was nothing she could do aside from treating the wounds from falling down the stairs and directed them to the library. Before they left, she briefly mentioned that Lilac Breeze had a cold in her chest and to keep an eye on it.

Twilight searched for hours, but nothing in her collection of books had a solution. At a loss, she promised to personally contact Princess Celestia to let her know that they were on their way to Canterlot to see her.

One agonizingly long train ride later, they showed up. Celestia listened patiently to their story, examined Lilac Breeze, and delivered the bad news. "There is nothing to be done about it now. Your wings are done and we don't possess the knowledge to repair your legs. I'm sorry, Lilac Breeze."

Lilac Breeze did her best to assure everyone she'd be fine, and that she'd find a way to get around. For instance, she said, she'd inched to the stairs like a caterpillar.

"Oh, yeah, that turned out absolutely great, didn't it?" White Streak spat, his temper boiling over. "What are you going to do, inch around Ponyville like a worm for the rest of your life?"

She nodded, trying to look cheerful, but it wasn't fooling anyone.

He sighed. "I'll take care of you," He promised, "You'll see. There has to be something we can do. I'll read every book in Equestria until I find a solution to this mess."


	4. A Granted Wish

White Streak was exhausted. He'd been staying up for hours straight reading book after book after book full of medicinal herbs, healing magic, transformation spells, and whatever else he thought might be related to Lilac Breeze's predicament. Nothing that looked promising seemed to help. To make things worse, Lilac Breeze was coughing quite a bit. He could hear the mucus in her chest, and as each cough ripped up through her frail body, he flinched. When two days had passed and the cough was getting worse instead of better, he took her back to the hospital.

Nurse Redheart shook her head as she listened to the sick mare's chest. "That's no good," She told them. "Mucus is building up in her lungs. I can prescribe some medicine, but it might not help much. Usually the medicine helps loosen the mucus so that the patient can cough it up more easily as they exercise- nothing extreme, just as they walk or fly. However, with her limited movements, I'm not sure she'll be able to get rid of it. Sure, she'll cough some up, but as she grows weaker, so will her coughs." She looked genuinely remorseful as she added quietly, "I'm not sure you'll be able to recover from this cold."

White Streak couldn't believe his ears. Was the nurse actually telling them that Lilac Breeze could die from a little cold? A simple cough, which nearly any other pony in Equestria could deal with just fine, was going to kill her? He wasn't having any of that. He'd find a way to exercise her regularly and still find a way to give her wings or legs. He was not giving up.

As he wheeled her out of the hospital, bundled up in blankets and laying in a wagon, he glanced at the passing ponies. They were preparing for Hearthswarming Eve. He flattened his ears to his head. All of them were so cheerful. He couldn't help but be envious- Hearthswarming Eve was his favorite holiday. As a foal, he'd spent it with his family. They now lived far away, in Manehatton. He couldn't visit them much. Recently, he'd spent the holidays with Lilac Breeze, who had no family to speak of anymore. She'd been an only child, and she'd never known her mother. Her mother had died of an illness when she was very young. Her father had raised her lovingly, and their bond was strong up until the day he died in a train accident. It had devastated Lilac Breeze, who found herself alone in the world as a result. Alone, that is, aside from White Streak.

'_If I lose her now_,' White Streak thought, '_I'll be alone, too. I could move back to Manehatton, but I wouldn't know anyone outside of myfamily._' He shook his head, dislodging the grim thoughts. '_But I _won't_ lose her. I refuse to lose her._'

Days passed and the holiday grew nearer and nearer, as Lilac Breeze grew sicker and sicker. Her dull fur hung limply to her gaunt frame and her coughing grew weaker as the days passed. White Streak had called the nurse for advice, and she told him that cutting her mane shorter would allow more nutrients to remain in her body and help her recover, so he convinced his friend to let him cut it short. She found it hard to stay awake, and even harder to stay warm, even when she sat right next to the fire. Her voice was rough and quiet, her vocal cords having been damaged by the frequent bouts of coughing. White Streak could feel his stomach churn every time he looked at her. She looked terrible. As though she were dying.

But he didn't let that thought stick for long. He kept on reading and giving her the prescribed medicine. Instead of taking her out for strolls int he wagon, he started setting her in a chair by the window to look out at the beautiful town, all done up in wreaths and lights. It made her happy.

Two days before Hearthswarming Eve, he went to wake her for breakfast but was unable to get her to stir. His first thought was that she was dead, but her thin, rattling breath reassured her that she was, in fact, still alive. At the hospital, Nurse Redheart told him that there was nothing to be done but wait and hope for the best- as she phrased it, a comfortable ending. This infuriated White Streak to no end. The nurse had given up on his friend. He slept in an uncomfortable chair by Lilac Breeze's bedside that night.

The next day, some unexpected visitors arrived. Fluttershy had convinced her friends to come and see White Streak and Lilac Breeze to offer support in their difficult time, though they didn't know the two very well. They brought a few gifts- Rarity had made a quick quilt to throw over Lilac Breeze, Applejack had brought a few fresh-baked pastries to share, Rainbow Dash had an adventure book and Twilight a book on herbology, and Pinkie had brought some holiday themed balloons and trinkets, including some scented pine cones, to make the room nicer. Discord had surprisingly tagged along, and he brought a small stocking to hang on Lilac Breeze's vedside. Inside was a box labeled 'Do Not Open Until Hearthswarming Eve!'

They stayed for most of the day, and Lilac Breeze woke up a couple of times for a few brief minutes, enjoying the happy mood before drifting back into unconsciousness. Her coughs were very frail.

When visitor hours ceased, and the seven friends had to make their leave, they bid farewell. Lilac Breeze didn't wake up in time to say goodbye. On her way out, Twilight stopped to tell White Streak something.

"You should make a wish," She suggested, "Since tomorrow is Hearthswarming Eve. Right around now seems like the time when the most magic is flowing through Equestria. You never know- a miracle might happen. Just be careful about the phrasing. Magic is fickle." With that, she left.

White Streak thought about her words for several hours. Finally, when he thought he'd found a way to phrase his wish that would ensure Lilac Breeze's health for as long as she lived, he was satisfied. He decided to wait until Midnight- the witching hour- and give it a shot. When the clock in the center of town chimed the twelfth time, he made his wish.

"I wish that Lilac Breeze would never have to feel any pain again, and that she could be happy." He whispered, staring out over the town from the window. From three stories up, Ponyville looked like a happy, colorful splotch of brightness in the dark. He smiled, feeling a little hopeful. He rested her chin on the side of his friend's bed frame, watching as her flank rose and fell under the blanket.

It was still dark out when someone nudged him awake. Lilac Breeze was out of bed- fluttering her wings delicately and nudging him awake with her right foreleg. White Streak's astonishment was quickly replaced by joy as he hugged his friend tightly. She felt healthy again. Her fur was soft and bright, and her mane was back to its normal length, falling softly over one shoulder. The light had returned to her eyes and her delicate smile was real. His wish had come true! She looked healthier and happier than he ever could have imagined. He couldn't even hear a rattling in her chest as he breathed.

Upon a closer listening, he found that he couldn't even hear her breathing. His blood ran ice cold, and he backed away a step.

Lilac Breeze, noticing the sudden change in his actions, bowed her head. "I'm sorry." She told him softly. "I couldn't hold on anymore. But on the bright side, your wish came true. It doesn't hurt. I feel wonderful. I can walk, White Streak." She caught his eye, trying to keep tears out of her own. "Thank you," She whispered, "I appreciate everything you've done for me. I know I can never repay you for all those hours you invested in me. I'm sorry I was such a burden for so long. I-"

He cut her off. "You were never a burden!" He reassured her, his throat tightening, "And you've paid me in full over and over. I'm the one who could never hope to repay you." He checked his back, heart twisting when he found that his- or rather, her wings- were still there. He spread them a little. "You gave your life for me. You may not have realized that you'd die at first, but surely you knew that you wouldn't be able to do the things you loved anymore. Every little thing that you did every day depended on your wings, and you gave them up for me." Realization crashed over him. "I'm the one who should apologize for always being so stupid! I'm the one who made you feel guilty about your wings. I didn't mean to- I just couldn't help being jealous of them. I shouldn't have said a word to you about wanting to fly. I should have known that you probably wanted to walk as much as I wanted to fly."

Lilac breeze shook her head. "I didn't really want to walk," She told him. "I just wanted to be with you. Walking, flying, or even just sitting around. Anything would have been fine. You let me have that. Thank you." She hugged him tightly for a few moments, then drew back. "I have to go. Goodbye, White Streak. Please don't abandon your dream." He watched in horror as she left- fluttering right through the locked window. He cried to himself until sleep flooded over him once more.

"WAKIE WAKIE!" Pinkie Pie's voice jolted White Streak awake. She and the other visiters from the day before were back. Discord had convinced them to come see Lilac Breeze open up her gift from him. White Streak's recollections of the night before hit him like a truck, and he immediately checked to see if his friend was really gone.

Relief washed over him when he spotted her, still asleep, in her hospital bed. Smiling, he reached out to shake her awake. The sooner she opened her present, the sooner she could go back to resting.

She didn't stir.

Growing nervous, White Streak shook her little more vigorously. "Lilac Breeze, wake up. You've got to see what's in your stocking. It's Hearthswarming Eve!"

She was ice cold.

Twilight gasped, first to realize that had happened. She whispered something to Rarity, who quickly made an excuse for Fluttershy and Pinkie to follow her out of the room. Discord frowned. "Well? Isn't she excited to see?"

Twilight and Applejack looked at him awkwardly, trying to find the words.

"No, you dolt! She's dead!" Rainbow Dash's eloquence never failed.

The impatience in Discord's behavior disappeared, and he winced. "Well. That's unfortunate. I think I'm going to go check on Fluttershy." He clearly didn't want to stay in the room full of upset ponies.

White Streak sat numbly, not listening to the words of condolence that the remaining ponies gave him. All he could do was stare at his departed friend, agonizing over his loss in silence.

Finally, Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder. "Whatever Discord intended for her, I think you should keep it. I'm sorry for your loss." She left, followed by the other ponies.

White Streak sat staring blankly at the box for several minutes, before ripping it open ungracefully. Inside was a small, dull orb made of some sort of glasslike material. Next to it was a paper with instructions. White Streak read them over in his head.

'**ENCLOSED IS ENOUGH MAGIC TO GRANT ONE(1) WISH OF CHAOS.**

**A wish of chaos is a wish that cannot be achieved b regular magic. Examples include, but are not limited to, duplicating the moon, redisigning the laws of physics, and growing extra limbs or repairing damaged/lost ones. **

**NOTE: MOST WISHES OF CHAOS CANNOT BE REVERSED.**

**After the wish is made, the magic(the substance that causes this to glow) will fade and this will no longer glow. Have fun!**

**-Discord**'

White Streak was confused. The orb wasn't glowing when he had opened the box! Wasn't it supposed to glow until it had granted a wish?

His heart skipped a beat. It _had_ granted a wish. His wish. His stupid wish. He thought back to how he'd phrased it.

_I wish that Lilac Breeze would never have to feel any pain again, and that she could be happy._

The dead could feel no pain, and Lilac Breeze had looked very happy when she'd said goodnight the night before. He had wasted her wish, and by doing so, he had phrased it in such a way that the magic had killed her painlessly.

It was his fault that he would never see her again. His tactlessness had killed her.

Her words echoed in his head. "_Please don't give up on your dream._"

He grit his teeth. He wouldn't give up. She was his dream. He stomped out of the hospital and raced straight to Twilight's library to look for a book on resurrection spells. The rest of his life was consumed by the hopeless search for a way to undo what he'd done.


End file.
